"God Loves You." 

The three words that changed the life and

family of Ragbir Sopal

I was born in Tanzania into a Sikh family. My parents were from Punjab. I was raised in the Sikh religion but when I was sixteen I rebelled. I cut my hair which had reached to my waist, and refused to wear the turban. My mother would not talk to me for three months.

When I was twenty, I moved to England and quickly integrated into that lifestyle. I married an English girl and we were happily settled. Our first baby was four months old when two missionaries knocked on our door. I told them that we were atheists but as I shut the door one of missionary said,”God loves you.”

I started to think about this and told my wife that I was going to call them back. She said,” Don’t do that we will never get rid of them.” They returned and taught us the first discussion. My wife was skeptical and did not want to participate. But the Elders taught us how to pray and that night I told her,” We are going to pray and you are going to say it.” She replied, But we don’t believe in God.” Nevertheless we knelt down and she said a prayer following the missionaries outline

[1] Our Father in Heaven

[2] We thank thee for our son Christopher

[3] We ask thee to keep him safe

[4] In the name of Jesus Christ amen

The next morning, when my wife was hanging out laundry to dry, she felt a burning and breath- taking effect. From this she knew to her surprise, that God does exist. We carried on with the missionary discussions but I had a problem with Word of Wisdom. I could not give up my cigarettes and I still liked to drink socially. So when the missionaries challenged us to baptism I replied that I must wait until after Christmas. This would enable me to drink and party with my in-laws over Christmas.

We were baptized on 28th of December 1970. But neither of us had a strong testimony and I was soon smoking again. In 1972 we moved to our new home and our neighbors were a couple from U.S.A. with two little children the same age as our two boys. The adults were both graduates of Brigham Young University and the husband had served a mission. We enjoyed their company and my wife was able to drive to church with them. Through them, church classes and the Institute studies her testimony quickly strengthened. She wanted to go to the Temple and raise our family according to the church teachings.

I was still not ready to commit. But my wife’s friendship with our neighbors had made me more open to the Gospel

In September of 1973 I accompanied my wife when she received her Patriarchal Blessing. But the patriarch concentrated on talking to me about my potential. After her blessing I realized that she and our boys would be going ahead in the church even if I stayed back.

When we were home that evening I tried to light up a cigarette but I could not strike the match. The words of the patriarch sunk deep into my heart. I felt the need to have my family with me forever and yet I was not sure that I could keep up the Church standards. We had been paying tithing for one year but I still had a Word of Wisdom problem. So I drove to my Branch President’s home and asked his advice. He said,” If you are really serious I will give you three months to prepare yourself for the Melchidezek priesthood and for the Temple.” Then he gave me a blessing of strength.

I got home, crushed my cigarette packet and threw it in the garbage bin. I emptied my home made beer bottles into the sink.

On December 8th 1973 we went through the Temple and were sealed together for eternity by the Priesthood Power. As I looked at my two boys, my wife and myself, all dressed in white kneeling around that sacred alter, I knew this was the most significant event in my life and these Temple Blessings were superior to any worldly pleasures.

In all we have five children and our three boys served missions for the church. All were sealed in the temple to their spouses. We have now have thirteen grandchildren and I testify that the joys our family has been able to enjoy have come through following the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I have a great testimony of the Gospel, I know God lives and that Jesus Christ is my saviour and that He died for me. I know we have a living Prophet to lead and guide us, I know that The Book of Mormon was written for us in these last days, I know that temples are  so that  families can  be sealed forever. I know that by keeping the Lord’s commandments our lives will be blessed. In His scared name Amen.

Ragbir Sopal       

Raymond, Alberta Canada

Dated 26 June 2006